Paris expels Iranian accused of being an “agent of influence” of Tehran

Bashir Biazar, who has been under an expulsion order from the Minister of the Interior since the beginning of June, was in a detention centre in Metz and left for Tehran in the morning, according to his lawyer.

On Wednesday, July 3, France expelled an Iranian suspected of being an “agent of influence” of the Islamic Republic, the latest episode in tensions between Paris and Iran, which is still holding three French nationals.

Under an expulsion order from the Minister of the Interior since the beginning of June, Bashir Biazar was in a detention center in Metz (Moselle) and embarked for Tehran in the morning, AFP learned in particular from his lawyer, Rachid Lemoudaa, who assures that his client has never made a “threat” In France.

The file of the man who officially presents himself as a music producer, and whom Iranian state media describe as “cultural figure”, was closely followed in Tehran. According to the Isna news agency, the Iranian presidency noted on Wednesday that Bashir Biazar, “illegally arrested and imprisoned in France a few weeks ago”, “was released and is on his way home”.

At the beginning of June, Iranian diplomacy had already promised to take the “necessary measures” for his release. The Iranian High Council for Human Rights, close to the regime, had denounced the decision.illegal” of the French justice system to place him in detention.

The proceedings against Bashir Biazar, who resided in France with his wife and their two children, were launched against a backdrop of extremely tense relations between Paris and Tehran. Three French nationals are still imprisoned in Iran, described by Paris as “state hostages”.

On Wednesday in the French capital, during a hearing before the administrative court, a representative of the Interior Ministry portrayed Bashir Biazar as a “agent of influence, an agitator who promotes the views of the Republic of Iran and, more worryingly, harassing opponents of the regime”claiming to rely on intelligence information.

The representative claims that he filmed journalists from Iranian opposition media in September in front of Tehran’s consulate in Paris after the arson attack on the building. The release of this video is said to have caused problems for an uncle of one of these journalists in Iran.